Pages

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

The Essense of Chimaltitán-Fear and Death

Borderland Beat

Chimaltitán, JAL. - The war between drug cartels for control of the border of Zacatecas and Jalisco, breathes loneliness from death and fear to the deserted towns

During the last three years the population of the municipal seat of Chimaltitán, north of Jalisco, diminished to 1,600 inhabitants. Christmas is coming and ornaments adorn some farms, alternated by abandoned houses dressed with black ribbons .

At the entrance of this location, just under 200 miles from Guadalajara, two halcones/hawks welcome strangers, they are the same who photograph and betray through cell phone calls and messages.

This area, considered a stop in the transfer of marijuana to northern cities is disputed by two criminal gangs, Los Zetas and those called "Chapos" or "Chapitos", who are the result of an alliance between members of the Pacific Cartel, led by Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and the Gulf Cartel.

On Saturday afternoon there are no snack carts or merchant stalls open and few people are enjoying the square, only empty benches and planters without children playing, some 20 meters from the police station stands the frame of a distributor of bootleg videos and tapes for the criminal group that controls the plaza Each cover is marked...

'No return'A 60 year old woman tells how the people are scared to death. "Just look around the plaza and count the bows. I have a lot of business here and we have not paid rent for three years. The owner doesn't want to come to collect, and does not want to settle because he says it's too dangerous and someone might notice. He is afraid, that's here. He will not return.

A chat with a 70 year old man who warns a bad omen in the air for those who are not Chimaltitán and who become identified by those who know and control the plaza.

When he left, the woman slowly related that this man's son was murdered a few months ago. The murderer rented a room for two weeks two houses away from the home of the victim (the man's son). The day of the murder the offender waited for the man to be at the farm made him go out in the street and killed him.

Municipal and state authorities report that in the north of Jalisco bordering Zacatecas, there were 30 murders apparently linked to organized crime in 2012. In Chimaltitán, 16 deaths occurred, and 13 cases were multi homicides.

The death of two brothers identified as Bartolo "N" and Delfino "N" and a former municipal city official recognized as Juan de Dios "N", and former director of the local Public Security, whose bodies were found with bullet holes were cast away on the side of a dirt road on the border with Zacatecas in early November, the crime is still spoken of in the village as if it happened yesterday.

After warning that "Chimal" is a very sad situation, a woman interrupts her routine of weaving tablecloths to tell a secret, "They say they went to remove members from Community Board in San Juan de los Potreros. They say that they had been threatened. They didn't wait for them to come out, they went for them,"says the housewife of 37 years with amazement.

The mother of three concludes the story: "Woe to the mother of the brothers, imagine that they have five children already dead. They were eight and they're killing them. It must be awful to know that this is going to happen to my son. "

After a short silence, she confesses that her second son, aged 17, in August had to migrate to another city for his safety.

"A year and a half ago there was a chamaquillo, about the age of my son, and you see he already started to come together with the bad people. They invited him to be a hawk. He assumed that the money he earned was going to be good, but one day the black came (Jalisco state police) and he heard that they were coming for him and his brother. They say the other had nothing to do with it. Imagine, if something happens to my son, " It is justified.

Lawless Region

400 people have left Chimaltitán, Jalisco, from the narco harassment.Vigilantes from Pacific cartel and halcones for "Los Zetas" are photographing strangers. It is an area of ​​transfer of marijuana to the north of the country.

Suspended Political Campaigns

Chimaltitán, JAL.- Among those who know local politics say that Chimaltitán was the only municipality in Jalisco where campaigns were suspended before the time set by the electoral calendar.

The cause was the heavily publicized armed assault against a group of PRI militants that left two dead.

"It was two days before the election, there was not much time left, but it is significant that we call it democracy, that crime forced us to cancel political acts of PRI and PAN, in order to save the election," says one administration official, which began on October 1.

On June 24, in an area known as La Rumorosa, a group of four people traveling in a van were ambushed by an armed group.

Aboard the vehicle, the PRI militants killed were identified as Jose Gutierrez, 60 years old, and Mario Pozos Flores, 40. A woman and another man were injured.

As they walked through the empty streets, villagers told other stories that prompted so many to leave the community.

"Here, near the town hall, two years ago, in 2010, Los Zetas tried to extort money from a man. He rented machinery. They took him. Charged almost a million pesos and then they threw him bagged off the bridge, "says a 35 year old woman. She says that others who refused to pay ransom died. There were also those who after being freed, fled.

39 comments:

I used to live in Balones now such a mess Halcones killed like the chickens they are. Surprised anyone dared to say anything at all. Bleak, bleak,bleak. Thanks for including photos. I'll show my mother and she will make read the whole thing. Maybe i'll embellish and add some friends of hers! Thank you - i know you made her day, Borderland Beat.

For many years my family and I spent alot of time in that area. We would travel from Texas. It breaks my heart to read this article. Everyone we ever met treated us like family. My prayers to all these loving,giving people. May God watch over you and bring you comfort. Your friends in Texas.

Maybee the decent folks of Zacatecas should buy bushmaster rifle company and move the factory there. It seems like they need it more than we do. Narcos are way better targets than 6 year old kids. America could just loan mexico our 2nd amendment rights until we feel we have grown up and can handle the responsibility a little better.

The right to own firearms is not the right to kill innocents . Unfortunately bad people do bad things and ruin it for the rest of us. There are plenty of responsible people that own firearms that never will harm a sole. Ban weapons and a huge black market will open up. A new money maker for the cartels, trafficking weapons to the usa. Theres a new ak 47 factory being built in Venezuela so dont think that you can stop criminals. You can believe the political crap they and the media feed you sheeple, but this has been Obamas plan from the beginning. They fed the cartels weapons and now the timing of the sandy hook tragedy will get the backing that he needed. Hes in his second term and who's gonna look bad fighting him. Its politics and dollars. Americans actually believe their voice matters, ha . Your not putting money in their pockets, the big wealthy bastards that are rule this country. Its unfortunate that criminals have more rights then the law abiding people. Let the government put a police officer in every school paid by the federal government. The usa is busy giving money to every other country .

This hits me hard. We used to spend time in that precious area. I feel so sorry for those generous people who i haven't seen in six years. May things improve for those who deserve nothing besides so much more than they have. The fotos are nice.

thanks for the pictures. There have been a lot articles about pot smuggling lately. Good to have a change up lest things become to obvious, Do tell folk are dying and towns are becoming ghost towns because of pot smuggling. Its weird because they eliminated the cartels as the main players in Columbia yet cocaine is so common at the border now prices are insanely low.

You made me cry again Havana and i'm no cry baby. This post and the one about Guadalupe and Calvo made me cry and cry. It is just incredibly heart wrenching what these people have to endure. The photos are just gorgeous. I'll say it. You picked a good one and keep doing it!

Do these people ever mind they are causing such upheaval in peoples' lives- the only difference between them and the villagers-is the villagers are innocent and they are greedy, selfish, thoughtless assholes.

Is this just not the most tragic profile of a Mexican town? Just victimized until they are no more than a ghost town/drug route. Oh that is good! How can the mex. gov. think this is fair? Why don't they care for their innocents?

There may not be anything bad about this story except it was painful to read and really pissed me off that so many are suffering because the dregs of the estth are empowered with blood and drug dollars. That about sums it up. The pictures made it bearable-just barely bearable to get through-poor, unfortunates in beaten mexico. Unfair-totally unfair.

Great post. Thanks. I'm glad I read it and the cartels are just plain crippling and crucifying mexico and they are too stupid to realize that people are the most important thing in Mexico not them because they are rotten criminals

For all you drug cartel nut huggers...No Drug Cartel is better than the other..They are all lowlife bastards who rob, extort, kidnap, rape and murder innocent people...STOP defending or praising any Drug Cartel.

Sometimes i get so disgusted by how little the mexicans mean to their country's government. Their own country that is! And their own government! Their own government treats their own people in a shameful manner. Why aren't all government officials dying of shame that innocent countrymen are so disrespected. Mexico should be fined big time for numerous violations of not honestly protecting mexican citizens.

The result of years of corruption and the turning of a blind eye, these thugs were allowed to get so powerful (unhindered), as such their money has bought and infiltrated all corners of Mexican society. Mexico can never claim to be a democracy when so many of its towns and villages are run by evil thugs terrorising the local populace to either flee or become submissive for fear of been murdered. Shame on you Mexico shame on you.....

I live in Atlanta,Georgia in the USA, and I cannot begin to imagine how the quality of life has changed for the common Mexican citizens over the past six years.I have heard stories from Mexican construction workers of how people will be working on their ranch one day, and then a messenger will show up and tell the owners that they have three days to vacate their own land, because apparently,the cartel has found a purpose for their property,and in three days, they will show up to claim (seize) the property.I would ask them what happened if they didn't leave?, and they all would agree that anyone still there would more than likely be tortured and ultimately killed, without any fear of an investigation, or altercation with any form of Law Enforcement.I have always wanted to travel to Mexico to Bass fish at some of Mexico's world class Bass fisheries like Lake El Salto, and Lake Guererro, and would love to do some deer hunting, but there is no way that I would even consider this now just based on the unpredictability of when,and where these cartels will strike, and they obviously don't need a reason to kill, and they don't care who gets killed, because they know that they are the ones in control.I pray for the good people of your country for your protection, and that life as you once knew it, to be restored, as well as peace in your lives, and your children's lives as well.GOD bless all of you.

@11:18 pm- Sometimes the wording in these stories doesn't translate so smoothly into English. But if you don't rush through it, reading parts twice if necessary, it'll come clear and be less confusing. I'm working constantly on smoothing the English so it flows nicely. It is a process, as you know.

Really 11:18, even you can understand, regardless of any wording, it is a travesty caused by greedy cartels making townsmen flee their village because it is unsafe? Then look at the fotos. Not too much to be confused by except the unfairness of it all. That seems to be what most people have problems with by far.

Hey 2:41 Grow the Fuck Up Ass Hole..! Your the Only one who's picking sides ya the Cartels..! The Govt. no matter which political party is in office has all ways lived off of the blood,sweat and tears of the compensinos in all of central america. The USA being the biggest blood sucker of them all with companies like United Fruit all the way up to Reagan's "IranGate".! As far as the world's concerned they could give a shit about Mexico or any other country for that matter. humans are Only out for themselves and nobody can say any different.

For great Bass fishing and deer hunting visit Lake Amistad, Del Rio Tx. Espn covers the World Champion Bass tournament there each year. The Lake is massive, but so much fun, and if you take the boat to the west side there are historical archeological sites, including limestone caves with pictorial carvings.

It is next to Mexico and Mex shares the lake but no big violence there.

@12:19 I picked no side. I just pointed out who is most profiting on the drug biz. Your reactionary babbling is straight out of good guy vs bad guy comic book land and you begin with advice concerning growing up. Heh, Heh.

I grew up 15min away in a near By town. Chimal is very hot right now. I went threw that town about 1 month ago. And it is a ghost town. Some of the violence that happens there spills over to my near By town. They have killed a lot of inocent people there. And when I went there a month ago we got pulled over By local police they clearly where working For a narco cuz they where waiting For us on the side of the road. Got us out of the car searched us head to toe took our cell phones checked our pics and text. And before they let us go, one of them told us "my sympathy For ur loss". We were travelling Back from the burial. But how did he know why we where at the town. At that moment I realized we where Being watched the whole time we where in town.

"The USA doesn't care about the people of Mexico, why should the Mexican people care about the USA"?How can you help someone who hates you?Why would you even try?Why should the US care,when all we ever get is animosity and hatred?

This is my fathers hometown. At least twice a year we would come to visit sometimes stay a month at a time. Almost everyone here is an honest hardworking person. Yes, there have always been some growers of Yerba and your mañosos making a living up north that come down. For the most part nothing ever really happened here. Its these bastards that come and go. The sad part is that this is the reality for a lot of places like Chimaltitan. There no more respect for human life. yes the people here are humble and welcoming, but they aren't stupid. Saludos

So sad to read this about my Grandparents and mom's hometown. I always wanted to visit and now I'm sad that I can't take my wife and daughter there. My mom told me that her cousin had said it was bad there now but I had no idea just how bad it was. May God bless those people and work in that town. In the mighty name of the most High Jesus Christ I declare that God's righteousness will manifest itself in that town!